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Thera 3.6: Khujja-Sobhita
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(176):Varana Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter III. three Verses =175. Khujja-Sobhita= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Pāṭaliputta,1 in a brahmin's family, he was named Sobhita. But being a little hunchbacked, he was called Crooked Sobhita. Come of age at the time of the Lord(Buddha)'s passing away, he was initiated into monkhood by Ānanda, and acquired sixfold abhiññā(higher knowledge). Now, at the first Great Council in the Sattapaṇṇi Cave, he was remainden fetch Ānanda Thera to the Assembly.2 Now at that time the company of devas sent an angel to stand at the entrance to the Cave to counteract the work of Mara(deathlord/devil).And Khujja-Sobhita announced his own coming to the angel in this verse: ---- 234 Ye cittakathī bahussutā|| Samaṇā pāṭaliputtavāsino,|| Tesaññataroyamāyumā|| Dvāre tiṭṭhati khujjasobhito.|| || 235 Ye cittakathī bahussutā|| Samaṇā pāṭaliputtavāsino,|| Tesaññataroyamāyuvā|| Dvāre tiṭṭhati māluterito.|| || 236 Suyuddhena suyiṭṭhena saŋgāmavijayena ca,|| Brahmacariyānucaṇṇena evāyaɱ sukhamedhatī' ti.|| || ---- 234 One of the Monks who in Patna live, Learned and erudite, lo! at the door, Advanced in years, stands Crooked Sobhita. Then the angel informed the Sangha of the Thera'e advent: 235 One of the Monks who in Patna live, Learned and eloquent, lo! at the door, Advanced in years, he stands borne by the winds.3 Then the Sangha giving him opportunity, the Thera approached them and declared aññā''(supreme attainment):'' 236 Good fight he made, and made good sacrifice,4 And in the battle won: - now by such war, The fervent following of the holy life(celibacy), In happiness he rests forever. ---- 1 Patna; cf. Sisters, p. 157 n. 2 For Ānanda's late appearanco see Vinaya Texts, iii. 373; Vinaya, iii. 259. There, Ānanda's access to the Cave through earth or air, in the commentarial legend, is ascribed to our Thera. Curiously enough, the Vinaya itsolf knows of no Khujja-Sobhita till the Council of Vesālī, a century later (Vinaya Texts, iii. 407). That the Council was held in this Cave is not stated in the Vinaya, which names only the Kalandaka-nivāpa (squirrels' feeding-ground) in the Veḷuvana (Bamboo Grove). 'Angel' is devatā lit., deity. 3 His aerial return from Ānanda to the Sangha. 4 Suyiṭṭhena (which comes more naturally from a lapsed brahmin(priest) than the martial epithets) the Commentary explains as 'religious gifts from virtuous friends.' The metre of the poem is disturbed by two glosses samaṇā and dvāre. ---- =3.6175 Commentary on the stanza of Khujjasobhitatthera= The stanza starting with Ye ciṭṭkuthī bahussutā constitutes that of the venerable Thera Khujjasobhita. That is the orginin? It is said that this one was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara; on having attained the age of intelligence, he, one day, happened to have seen the Blessed One going about together with a large clergy of monks, became pious-minded, and praised Him with ten verses. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in a brahmin family in the city of Pāṭaliputta, when this Buddha arose. His mane was “Sobhita.” However, he came to be known as Khujjasobhita because of his being a hump-back by nature. On having come of age, he, when the Master and passed away into parinibbāna, became a monk in the presence of the thera Ānanda and became an Arahant with six sorts of superknowledge (abhiññā). Hence has it been said in the Apadana:– “Who will not be piously pleased after having seen the divine of divine, the Bull among men, like a pearl (kakudhaṃ) displaying its slendour (vilasantaṃ) who was entering upon a chariot road? Who will not become piously pleased after having seen the One shining bright with His light of knowledge, having dispelled the deep darkness after having sent well across, many men? Who will not become piously pleased, after having seen the leader of the world with a humdred thousand masters of their senses (vasī) being led by Him, pulling out many living beings (from the sea of saṃsāra)? Who will not become piously pleased, after having seen the One beating the drum of dhamma, crushing the crowd of heretics and roaring the roar of a lion? Who will not become piously pleased having seen divine beings along with brahmā who have come from as far away as the world of brahmā asking subtle questions? Who will not become piously pleased after having seen the divine beings who, having made their clasped hands, so make their request that they may enjoy fruition of their merit on account of that? Who will not become piously pleased after having seen all the multitude of men having come together, and personally invite Buddha, possessor of eyesight, who does not yet shaken when invited (ajjiṭṭho)? Who will not become piously pleased after having seen many drums hum (ravanti) and elephants make trumpet cry in rut (matta), when He enters the city? Who will not become piously pleased after having seen all His rays always shining bright when He goes along the street; they have become equally sprung up (abbhunnatā)? Who will not become piously pleased after having seen that when Buddha does speak (byaharantassa), the universe is made to hear and when He makes all living beings understand (viññāpeti)? It was a hudred thousand aeons (kappa) ago, that I made my special praise of Buddha; I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my making praise (kittanāya). My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, become an Arahant, with six sorts of higher-knowledge (abhiññā), he was given orders by the Order of monks (Saṅgha) who had assembled in Sattapaṇṇi cave, at Rājagaha, at the time of the first great Council (saṃgīti), thus: “Go and call the venerable Ānada:” he dived himself into the earth, rose up in front of the Thera, whom he informed the message of the Saṅgha, himself went ahead through the sky, and reached personally the door of Sattapaṇṇi cave a certain divinity sent by the divine crowd for the purpose of prohibitting Māra and Māra’s body of army; in order to tell that divinity of his own coming, Khujjasobhita spoke the first stanza.-- 234. “This Khujjasobhita is one the those long lived (āyuvā) monks, who teach variegated sermons, who are much learned and who are citizens of Pāṭaliputta, stands at the door. There, cittakathī means: teaches of variegated truth (dhamma); they are accustomed to teaching the truth (dhamma) commensurate with the inclination (ajjhāsaya) of others in such a variously different method as abbreviating, lengthening (vitthāranaṃ), deepening, simplifying, doubt-dispelling the truth (dhamma) establishing; thus, is the meaning, Bahussutā means: much learned, because of being bounteously full of such much learning as the canonical texts (pariyatti) and apt panetration into the truth (paṭivedha). Samaṇa means a monk because of the condition of having brought the evils to cessation (samita) in every respect (sabbaso). Pāṭaliputtavāsino, tesaññataro means: citizens of Pāṭaliputta because they reside in the city of Pāṭaliputta; one of them; eyaṃ āyuvā means: this one is a long-living venerable. Dvāre tiṭṭhati means: he stands at the door of Sattapaṇṇi cave; to enter according to the approval (anumati) of the Order of monks. On having heard that stanza, that divinity spoke the second stanza in order of inform the arrival of the Thera to the Saṅgha:– 235. “Those variegated teachers. … Having come through the air, he stands at the door.” There, māluterito means: moved (erito) by the mind, with the production of the mind of magical powers (iddhicittajanitena); he had come with the vigour of magical power: thus, is the meaning. The Thera, on being made to be admitted (katokāso) by the Saṅgha who had been informed by that divinity in this manner, revealed his Arahantship (aññā) by means of this third stanza, on his going to the Saṅgha:– 236. “By means of my giving good battle, by means of my good offering, by means of my victory in the battle field, by means of continous leading of holy life of chastity, in this manner, this one enjoys bliss. There, suyuddhena means: previously (pubbabhāge) by means of fighting well with many a depravity (kilesa) under the influence of such forsakings as momentary (tadaṅga) and enduring elimination during the duration of jhāna (vikkhambhana). Suyiṭṭhena means: by means of the offering of truth (dhamma) given suitably by good friends at regular intervals (antarantarā). Saṅgāma vijayena ca means: also by means of the victory in the battle-field gained, by crushing (nimmathana) the creation (abhisaṅkhāra) made by depravity (kilesa) in every respect, by way of forsaking, by completely cutting off (samuccheda). Brahmacariyanuciṇṇena means: by means of the holy life of foremost path (aggamagga) by continuous practice (anuciṇṇa). Evāyaṃ sukhamedhati means: in this world this Thera Khujjasobhita enjoys the bliss of nibbāna, as well as the happiness of the proper attainment of fruition even, in the said manner; thus, is the meaning. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Khujjasobhita is complete. ----